Weaning dreamfeed causing NWs??! Help!

[Mama Kate]

My DD is 8 months old and started on solids at 5.5 months.  She was previously STTN (except for a rough month from 5.5 - 6.5 months when we were traveling and she started NWing, but that stopped when we got back home).  At around 7 months I started to wean the dreamfeed by bringing it forward 15 minutes every 3 days.  I used to DF at 11pm and DD is breastfed.  She takes 4 BFs a day plus the DF and bedtime is around 6:30pm every night.

When I got down to 7:45pm I tried stopping the DF, but she started waking during the night at random times, so I started up again starting at 8pm.  I am now down to 7:30 pm but she is sometimes waking up around 4am in the morning now.  She is still taking a 10 minute DF and her daytime feeds are also 10 minutes, but I think my supply is pretty low by the evening so a 10 min DF is not the same as a 10min daytime feed IYKWIM.

I'm not sure what I should do.... this morning she woke at 4am and wasn't crying but was fussing in her cot so I left her hoping she would go back to sleep - but by 4:30 she was still fussing so I went in and fed her and she went back to sleep.  It seems silly to do a DF only one hour after she goes to bed... 

I desperately want to finish the DF but I thought we had gotten rid of NWings... If she wakes at 1 or 2 I don't feed her anymore I just resettle, but if I now feed her if she wakes at 4am I am worried she will get confused and expect a feed if she wakes at any time at night.  I think she might also be teething but I've been saying that for 3 months now and she is still all gums. 

Appreciate ideas and advice please!!!!!  I desperately need a good night's sleep.

[mmom]

I am sorry you are struggling Kate.  Can you post your current routine in EAS format?

Do you think there is anything else going on?  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=52878.0

Is she on any solids?

[Mama Kate]

Hi Kara - looking at the 10 reasons, the possibilities I think are: teething, developmental milestone (she has recently started cruising) and separation anxiety.

Her A-time has recently shot up to between 3-4 hrs - she typically has longer A-times in the afternoon.

She is on solids and is taking a reasonable amount.  She has a low tolerance for being spoon-fed so we are doing BLW but I do try to get the spoon in when she's in the mood.  She loves to feed herself mostly.  Just in the last week she's really chubbed up so she might have had a little growth spurt.

Our routine generally looks like this but can swing half an hour or so depending on when she wakes up and what's on for the day.

E 6:00 breastfeed
A
E 7:00 breakfast solids (usually about 45 mins to one hour after BF)
A
S 9:00 (generally sleeps for 45 mins to 1 hr 10)

E 10:45/11:00 breastfeed
A
E 12:00 lunch solids
A
S 1:00/1:30 (generally sleeps between 1 hr and 2 hrs)

E 3:00 breastfeed
A
E 5:00 dinner solids
A
E 6/6:30 breastfeed
S after breastfeed

She is a fully independent sleeper and has a lovey (she LOVES her lovey). 

I feel like I have messed everything up by weaning the dreamfeed, but at 8 months I don't think she really needs it anymore.  Do you think I should give pain meds in case it's teething pain then just try to resettle with PU/PD? 

[mmom]

Sorry I am just getting back to you Kate.  You are right, I don't think she needs the DF anymore. Her routine looks good, so yes I think you should try pain meds to see if they make a difference and if they don't try PU/PD. http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=69177.0

[Mama Kate]

I was afraid you might say that...

I just need to gather all the energy I can muster to do a few days of PU/PD.  At the moment I am feeling so sleep deprived I don't know if I can do it just yet.  But I know a few days of pain will be worth it. 

Thanks for the confirmation!

[mmom]

  But I know a few days of pain will be worth it. 

It definitely is!  It is just hard to muster the energy when you are exhausted.

Good luck!

[Mama Kate]

Hi mmom - just wanted to give you a quick update.  So after your last reply I decided to quit the dreamfeed and tackle the NWs with PU/PD (or PD).  The first night she slept right through from 6:30 - 6:30!  Then the second night she woke at 2 and it took an hour of PD to get her back to sleep.  Since then she has been waking once a night but it generally only takes 2-5 minutes to get her back to sleep using PD.  Last night she slept right through but woke early at 6am. 

So I think we are getting there.  I am glad to be done with the dreamfeed and be able to get to bed nice and early or go out at night and not have to worry about her.

My husband and I had to have a chat to ensure we were doing PD exactly the same way and the right way for an 8.5 month old.  I think we had both fallen into the 'poor baby' trap thinking her wakings were due to teeth and were holding too long.  Now we only pick up if she's really distressed, but as soon as we've taken the edge off (usually with just one pick-up) it's strictly PD.

Thanks for encouraging me!

[mmom]

That is so great Kate!!   So pleased for you!